Tuesday, 29 July 2014

Pope Francis has become the first pope to visit a Pentecostal
church, pressing his outreach to evangelicals who represent
Catholicism’s greatest competition for Christian souls around
the globe.

Francis flew by helicopter Monday to visit the under-
construction Pentecostal Church of Reconciliation in the
southern city of Caserta. He met privately with a Pentecostal
preacher who is an old friend, Giovanni Traettino.
Speaking to some 350 Pentecostal faithful in the church,

Francis apologized for Catholic persecution of Pentecostals
during Italy’s fascist regime and stressed that there was unity
in diversity within Christianity.

He acknowledged the remarkable nature of his visit, saying:
“Someone will be surprised: ‘The pope went to visit the
evangelicals?’ But he went to see his brothers.”

Francis has met unofficially with several Pentecostal and
evangelical preachers recently.